Creosote
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Creosote is a category of carbonaceous chemicals formed by the distillation of various tars and pyrolysis of plant-derived material, such as wood, or fossil fuel. They are typically used as preservati
Wood railroad ties before (right) and after (left) infusion with creosote, being transported by railcar at a facility of the Santa Fe Railroad, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in March 1943. This U.S. wartime governmental photo reports that "The steaming black ties in the [left of photo]... have just come from the retort where they have been infused with creosote for eight hours." Ties are "made of pine and fir... seasoned for eight months" [as seen in the untreated railcar load at right].
1727 portrait of George Berkeley by John Smibert
Wooden street pavers in Chicago
Broken creosote piling exposed by weathering
Tar
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Tar is a dark brown or black viscous liquid of hydrocarbons and free carbon, obtained from a wide variety of organic materials through destructive distillation. Tar can be produced from carbon-rich ma
Creosote
…Creosote is a category of carbonaceous chemicals formed by the distillation of various tars and pyrolysis of plant-derived material, such as wood, or fossil fuel. They are typically used as preservatives or antiseptics. Some creosote types…
One can produce a tar-like substance from corn stalks by heating them in a microwave oven. This process is known as pyrolysis.
Tar kiln at Trollskogen in Öland, Sweden
Birch tar
A boat transporting pine tar barrels on Oulu River in 1910